Kuala Lumpur: Eight Pakistani asylum seekers,
including a child, were nabbed by Malaysian maritime
authorities when they were trying pass through the country
to reach Australia.
The refugees, aged between 10 and 40, were arrested last
night along with two Malaysian men and an Indonesia boat off
Port Dickson in Malaysia's Negeri Sembilan State during
patrolling, Bernama new agency reported.
"The boat was ordered to stop but it sped off towards
land and the boat skipper tried to flee together with the
migrants," district Maritime Enforcement Agency chief Ibrahim
Mohamed said today.
He said the asylum seekers were believed to be heading
for Indonesia and then to Australia.
Authorities seized 45,000 ringgit (USD 14,944) cash in
US, Afghan, Sri Lankan and Pakistani currencies.
As per initial investigation, the Pakistani migrants had
paid between USD 1,000 to 6,000 for being transported to
Australia.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 03, 2012, 21:38